Salvation depends on doctrine!

[Esaias]

"Don't major in the minors." "Is that doctrine really salvific?" "That doctrine is not one of the essentials." "Do "I HAVE to believe that in order to be saved?" "Are you saying I will be condemned if I believe that doctrine?"

Such statements and questions betray a serious misunderstanding of the importance of doctrine. They reveal a mindset and a belief system, in which doctrine is put into one of two categories: essential, and non essential. Essential doctrines are things that must be believed in order to be saved, non essential doctrines are things that can be believed... or not believed... with no bearing on one's walk with God or one's final destination. This is a serious misunderstanding because the Bible teaches no such thing as "two categories of doctrine, one essential, and the other non essential." The Bible DOES teach two categories of doctrine, though - one is true and correct doctrine, and the other is FALSE doctrine. And the Bible nowhere suggests that false doctrine is irrelevant to one's salvation. In fact, the Bible teaches exactly the opposite - salvation depends on doctrine!

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
(Matthew 4:4)

Here, Jesus affirms that our life depends on every word of God. God has ordained that man shall live by every word of God. This means every word of God, that is to say, the entirety of God's words to man, are vitally important. Just as the just shall live by faith means that those who are justified shall have eternal life by faith, so too man shall live by every word of God means man shall have eternal life by adhering to EVERY word of God.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
(Matthew 15:7-9)

Here, Jesus declares that worship depends on doctrine, and that false doctrine (the commandments of men) produces vain, empty, meaningless worship. You cannot truly worship God with false doctrines invented by men.

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
(Mark 8:36-38)

Here the Lord plainly connects His doctrine with salvation. If anyone is ashamed of Christ's words (not just some of them, but any of them), then Christ will be ashamed of him (that is, if anyone refuses to acknowledge Christ's teachings, then Christ will refuse to acknowledge him).

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
(John 14:23-24)

Jesus says if anyone loves Him they will keep His words, that is, they will acknowledge and obey His teachings. Further, He declares that His words aren't just His, but Almighty God's words. Remember, man shall live by every word of God.

He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(Matthew 10:40)

Jesus sent His apostles to teach His word. If we receive the apostles, that is, if we accept and believe and obey their teachings, we receive Christ, and therefore God. Eternal life depends on receiving the apostles sent by Christ.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
(Matthew 10:14-15)

Failure to receive the apostles and their words, that is to say, failure to hear and obey their teachings, gives you less of a chance of making it through Judgment Day than Sodom and Gomorrha!

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
(Romans 6:16-18)

Obeying a specific "form of doctrine" results in deliverance from sin and makes you a servant of righteousness. The form of doctrine that delivers (saves) is that which was delivered by the apostles.

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
(1 Timothy 4:16)

In order to be saved, one must take heed to themself and to the doctrine and continue in them. One must not only hear correct doctrine, the doctrine of Christ as delivered by His apostles, but one must continue or stay in that doctrine. One must take heed to oneself, one must be on guard that you do not drift away or cease to continue in the apostles' doctrine. Doing this will save you, and (if you are a teacher) it will save those who hear (receive) you. Why? You are continuing in the doctrine that saves and teaching the same, so those who receive your teaching will be receiving and continuing in the doctrine that saves!

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
(1 Timothy 6:3-5)

Those who teach otherwise than the apostles, who do not consent to (agree with and obey) wholesome words - the words or teaching of Jesus Christ as transmitted by His apostles - are "destitute of the truth", have "corrupt minds", and believers are to withdraw themselves from such people. Believers are to separate themselves from people who reject the teachings of the apostles.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(Ephesians 4:14)

Any teaching (doctrine) that is not bible doctrine is a wind that blows people around in different directions. People who believe and promote false doctrine are not merely "brothers who have made a mistake" as if it is irrelevant. No, promoters of false doctrine are lying in wait to deceive. False doctrine is deception, and teachers of error are likened to murderers lying in wait to slay the innocent and unsuspecting. False teachers slay people spiritually. Since salvation depends on doctrine, and life comes from God's words, false doctrine kills the soul, and false teachers are therefore cunning and crafty spiritual murderers!

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
(Romans 16:17-18)

We are commanded to identify and separate from (disfellowship) those who create divisions and offences (occasions of stumbling) contrary to the original apostolic doctrine. False teachers who promote non apostolic doctrines cause divisions, meaning they create cliques and groups of people who do not believe the full truth but instead are following error, separating themselves from the apostolic faith. They cause offences, meaning occasions of stumbling, because false doctrine kills the soul and is a stumblingblock to people. False doctrine hinders a person's ability to know and walk in the truth, thus it is an "offence". Those who follow false teachings and false teachers are to be avoided (shunned). They do not serve Jesus Christ, in spite of their many protestations to the contrary. They serve themselves, their own desires, and by fair speeches and impressive words deceive the hearts of those who are not wise to their devices.

And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
(2 John 1:6-11)

Christians are to love God and one another, and this requires walking after His commandments. Which means we are to walk in the original apostolic faith as originally delivered ("as ye have heard from the beginning"). There are many deceivers and antichrists in the world. We have to be on guard lest we lose our full reward. Those who transgress and do not continue in the doctrine of Christ DO NOT HAVE GOD. False doctrine causes you to not have God. If you abide or continue or remain in the doctrine of Christ you have both Christ and the Father (God), but if you do not continue in Christ's doctrine you do not have God at all. Any who are such who do not bring this teaching are to be rejected and disfellowshipped. To fellowship those who promote error is to partake of their error.

(continued in next post)